How exactly do you calculate.....

[mcat_premed3832]

If you are doing a paper MCAT, then you need a conversion sheet for your scores. The Gold Standard MCAT has had 14 editions so I'm not sure which one you have but most past editions had the conversion sheet on page 435. You will find that each section converts differently and is dependent on the bell curve for that particular section of the test.

It is better, however, to do those exams as MCAT CBTs (Computer Based Tests) rather than on paper. "If you are going to prepare for the Superbowl, you should practice on a football field". Since you already have access to those exams online, it is a better choice to get comfortable with the new format and keep the book for review and reference (you will find that though the Explanations to each exam question operates independently, they often contain cross-references to the book should you wish more information). Scaled scores are automatically calculated for the MCAT CBT.

Good luck.

[admin]

Use the table to convert your raw score directly to a scaled score. According to the table, a raw score of 55 represents 8/15 in Verbal Reasoning, 10/15 in Physical Sciences or 9/15 in Biological Sciences. No one uses a percentage. Percentiles ranks are for your interest, they are not used directly by medical schools. They focus on the scaled scores (ie. out of 15). There is an example given on page 445.